1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for transporting food and water for pets.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,464 to provide an apparatus for transporting and dispensing food and water for pets, the apparatus having two container portions, each having an outer shell and an animal-accessible inner bowl to receive food or water. A lid sealingly engages each of the animal accessible inner bowls to form a watertight seal. The outer shell of each of the containers has a lower rim and the containers are hingedly connected together by a hinge attached to the lower rims of each of the container portions. When the container portions are in a hingedly closed position, a base portion of each of the bowls lie back to back and the lids closing the bowls are in an outermost position. When the apparatus is opened, the lower rims of the container portions are arranged to lie in substantially the same plane upon a ground surface and such that the lids are uppermost. When the lids are removed an animal has access to food and water in the bowls.
Although the apparatus of the prior art provides a convenient manner of transporting food and water for pets, there is no provision for keeping the water and food cool.
It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for transporting food and water for pets in which means are provided for keeping the contents thereof cool.
According to this invention there is provided an apparatus for transporting food and water for pets including, a first bowl hingedly attached to a second bowl, each said bowl having a base and extending therefrom a peripheral side wall terminating in a peripheral edge, whereby each said bowl has an open top for receiving food or water into a respective one of the bowls when said bowls are hinged to an open position, and said first and second bowl peripheral edges abutting one another when said bowls are hinged to a closed position, and lid means for one of said bowls, said lid means having a peripheral rim forming snap-fit sealing means for engaging with said peripheral edge of the bowl to which said lid means is attached, and said lid means including an integrally mounted freezer pack for maintaining the contents of the bowls cool.
Preferably, a separable water canteen is provided for location within one of said first and second bowls.
Advantageously, fastener means are provided for releasably securing said first and second bowls in a closed position.
Conveniently, handle means are integrally secured to at least one of said bowls.
Advantageously, a pair of feet members are integrally secured to each said bowl for supporting said apparatus when said bowls are in said closed position, whereby said peripheral edges are substantially orthogonal to a surface upon which said feet members rest.
Advantageously, the feet of one said bowl are nested inside the feet of the other said bowl.
Preferably, said lid means has a dished inner surface for locating said integrally mounted freezer pack.
Conveniently, said lid means has a centrally located boss member upstanding from said inner surface and said freezer pack is toroidially shaped having a centre portion thereof supportably mounted about said boss member.
Advantageously, a cap is secured to said boss member and said cap is arranged to extend at least partially over said freezer pack to assist holding the same in position in said lid means.
Preferably, grip means are attached to extend outwardly of said lid means for releasing said snap fit sealing means when the lid means is attached to the bowl.
Advantageously, alignment means are provided for aligning the first and second bowls into said closed position.
Conveniently, said alignment means comprises male and female members each located in a respective bowl.
Preferably, the first and second bowls and the lid means are moulded from plastics.
Advantageously, said bowls each have a circular cross-section.
Advantageously, the water canteen has a housing with a leak-proof screw cap having a radially extending arm, said arm being adapted to releasably retain one end of a flexible tube which extends through said cap into said housing.